Blue Skies Project
Blue Skies Project
The Bluesberries are excited to announce Blue Skies Project. Musician and journalist Daniel Fallon has teamed up with English producer Paul Beard and Australian entrepreneur John McMurtrie AM to write and record Blue Skies, a song to promote peace, show solidarity with the people of Ukraine and raise funds for refugees displaced by the conflict via UNHCR.
In an extraordinary creative process, the Sydney soul band The Bluesberries, which features some of Australia’s finest musicians - has collaborated with the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, which draws on the most talented young classical musicians from across Ukraine (aged 12-22) to record versions of the song. Led by violinist and arranger Illia Bondarenko - an emerging classical star in Europe - the 33-piece orchestra performed a symphonic arrangement of Blue Skies at a cathedral in Düsseldorf, Germany.
The song features outstanding Ukrainian opera singer Maryana Danchenko, who contributed Ukrainian lyrics and her beautiful voice to versions of the song.
The renowned Shchedryk Children’s Choir recorded a special arrangement for Blue Skies by Ukrainian composer Roman Surzha and Paul Beard. The ensemble brought together 22 Children’s voices to record the piece at a studio in Kyiv. (The studio they recorded in had been repaired from minor damage following Russian attacks earlier in the year.)
Different versions of the song will be released as an EP in late November in Sydney, Australia. Some 70 Australian and Ukrainian musicians have contributed to the recording.
All proceeds from sales of the song will go to UNHCR to support Ukrainian refugees.
The project is managed by Beard, Fallon, McMurtrie and Ukrainian manager Polina Velichko, who has been instrumental in bringing the teams together.
Blue Skies will be launched in December.
About the project
Support Ukrainian refugees
The war has displaced more than a quarter of Ukraine's population, with 14 million people forced to flee their homes.
UNHCR is providing urgent protection and aid for those forced to flee, both within Ukraine and in neighbouring countries
The lyrics
I looked into your troubled eyes and said goodbye
And nobody knows if this will be the last time
All we ever wanted was an ordinary life
Now we’re dreaming of a day that we can all lie
Under blue skies
I’ll hold you in my arms
Under blue skies
We are one
Don’t waste your whole life
Fighting another man’s war
Under blue skies
We are one
I put you on the last train that left tonight
No time for tears because all our fears came true
When there’s nothing left to divide us
And North and South can love East and West
Look towards the stars and you will find me
Under Blue Skies
I’ll hold you in my arms
Under blue skies
We are one
Don’t waste your whole life
Fighting another man’s war
Under blue skies
We are one
We are one
VIDEOS
Labuschagne lyric video
Beardy in action
Photo By: Jo Sabinto
BIO
Take the greatest R’n’B hits ever recorded, add some of the most talented musicians in the land to play them, and you are set for an unforgettable night of entertainment.
The Bluesberries are a high-octane 11-piece outfit led by John and backed by the vocal brilliance of Bronwyn Mulcahy and the five-piece Port Jackson Horns (Steve Fitzmaurice, Dan Fallon, Danny May, Tilly Grieve and John McMurtrie). The band features Paul Beard (Robbie Williams, James Blunt, Art Garfunkel, Bryan Ferry, Sheryl Crow), Leon Fallon (Outback Aussie), Rowan Lane (Guy Sebastian, Rodriquez, Nikka Costa) and Dave Hibbard (The Hands, Jimmy Barnes, The Badloves). The Bluesberries are grateful to work with Declan Kelly (Bernard Fanning) at The Nest Studio.
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CONTACT BLUESBERRIES
MANAGEMENT | harley@duetgroup.com and 0419 738 837
MEDIA REQUESTS | sally@sallyburleigh.com and 0419 516 889
BOOKINGS | dan@fallondasey.com